Addison, Texas – The Congress for the New Urbanism-North Texas is conducting two seminars that address connections between the design of modern schools and the health and performance of students.
The seminars are Wednesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Addison Conference Center, 15650 Addison Road.
A growing body of research demonstrates strong connections between the design of schools and learning. Indoor air quality, amount of natural lighting, opportunities to exercise, classroom sizes and school organization are all critical elements in children's health, development and performance.
At the April 7 seminar, Victoria Bergsagel, founder and president of Seattle-based Architects of Achievement, will address how simple, proven design principles lead to higher rates of learning and measurably higher scores on standardized tests, while reducing illness-related absenteeism and trends toward childhood obesity. Many simple principles can be immediately adopted by our schools. William Gietema, development and land planning expert with Arcadia Realty, will discuss the relation between where a school is located and its influence on safety, childhood obesity, traffic congestion, property values and tax base stability. He will offer strategies on how to make existing schools more accessible and walkable, plus how to better locate future schools.
At the April 14 seminar, Peter Brown AIA, principal of Peter Brown Architects and recognized for the design of innovative schools nationally and internationally, will establish critical links between bricks and mortar and student performance. Case studies include strategies for new schools, school transformations and even portable classrooms. Sam Lotona, school construction expert with Turner Construction, will examine the cost/benefit relationship of various school designs. Parents, school administrators, trustees and taxpayers will be better able to assure school tax dollars are being spent for the best value to maximize opportunities for their students to excel.
The seminars are free and open to the public. Continuing Education points are available for each seminar (AICP, AIA, CNU-A).
For more information, call (817) 459-6686 or email Alicia.Winkelblech@arlingtontx.gov.
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